Doku, Yang’s digital avatar who stars in the film, is short for the Japanese ‘Dokusho Dokushi’, a Buddhist saying that translates to ‘we will die alone, and we are born alone’. The theme of continuous birth and death plays out over 36 minutes of intricately designed digital realms representing 6 of Yang’s reincarnated selves.

Debuting at the Venice Biennale 2022, Doku The Self is a narrative artwork based on autobiographical experience. After experiencing an extremely turbulent plane journey, Yang has created virtual scenes featuring an aircraft flying through thunderstorms. The artist visualises Doku transforming into various alter egos based on the six realms of samsara, which in Buddhism and Hinduism refers to the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. Using motion capture to animate each character with relatable emotion and traditional dance moves, Yang’s super hero-like characters embody a range of existential human feelings – from terrified, to vengeful, to vulnerable and ultimately letting it all go.